Chambers and Clerk's Office personnel are not permitted to give legal advice. No requests for legal advice should be made to Chambers or to the Clerk's Office, whether in person, by telephone, email or letter.

Letters should be filed on the docket and emailed to Chambers at: HZC_Chambers@nyeb.uscourts.gov

By Administrative Order No. 733, dated March 4, 2022, the Court adopted the revised New York State Standards of Civility as guidelines for practice in all cases and proceedings in this Court. It is expected that all persons appearing in this Court will conduct themselves in accordance with these standards.

The Court's electronic filing procedures are set forth in Administrative Order No. 559, Electronic Means of Filing, Signing and Verification of Documents.

          a.     Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 Cases

As of March 1, 2025, all Chapter 11 and 13 hearings before Judge Heather Cooper will be conducted solely using the Zoom.gov video platform, with the exception of trials and evidentiary hearings in connection with contested matters. Regarding the latter, the Court will be in direct communication with the parties with respect to scheduling.

All participants must register with eCourt Appearances in advance of all hearings. eCourt Appearances registration is required by both attorneys and non-attorney participants. Attorneys with a CM/ECF account may find the program under the “Utilities” menu after logging on to CM/ECF.

Once registered, eCourt Appearances will email the Zoom link for your hearing. You may register for hearings weeks in advance, but the Zoom link will not be emailed to you until 48 hours before the hearing date. Those registering with eCourt Appearances less than 48 hours in advance of the hearing should allow up to 15 minutes after registration to receive the email with the Zoom link.

Those unable to access eCourt Appearances must email the Courtroom Deputy at least two (2) business days prior to the hearing at: HZC_Hearings@nyeb.uscourts.gov. Your email must include your name, the case number(s), who you represent (if you are an attorney) and the hearing date.

Hearings are open to the press and the general public. Any person who desires to listen to a hearing as a nonparticipant need not register using eCourt Appearances, but should email the Courtroom Deputy at: HZC_Hearings@nyeb.uscourts.gov at least two (2) business days prior to the hearing to obtain the Zoom link.

Notices of Motion

All notices of hearing must reflect that the hearing will be conducted using the Zoom.gov platform. The notice must also (1) state that the hearing will be held by videoconference; (2) direct participants to register with eCourt Appearances; (3) include instructions for registering with eCourt Appearances; and (4) indicate that the Zoom link will be provided by email 48 hours before the hearing date to all parties that register with eCourt Appearances. Those registering for hearings less than 48 hours in advance of the hearing should allow up to 15 minutes after registration to receive the email with the information. The notices of hearing should not include a physical courthouse location unless an evidentiary hearing has been set.

Virtual Appearance Procedures for appearing via Zoom.gov

1. For all hearings, the Court will utilize Zoom for Government. Instructions for accessing the hearing will be provided by the Courtroom Deputy.
    
2. Although conducted using videoconferencing technology, the hearings constitute a court proceeding. No person shall record the audio or video of the hearing from any location or by any means. The audio recording created and maintained by the Court shall constitute the official record of the hearing.
    
3. The formalities of a courtroom shall be observed by all virtual attendees. Participants shall dress appropriately, exercise civility, and otherwise conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the dignity of the Court and its proceedings.
    
4. All persons must have a clear and accurate screen name (first and last name) for ease of identification during hearings. Nothing in these procedures authorizes non-party members of the public or the media to access the hearing either by audio or video connection unless authorized by the Judicial Conference of the United States and this Court. Unauthorized connections to either audio or video will be disconnected and not permitted to rejoin.
    
5. Please join the conference from a quiet, private location. You should avoid joining from a car.
    

          b.     Emergency Motions

A hearing on an emergency motion or an application for an order to show cause may be requested by emailing or calling the Courtroom Deputy Clerk at the email address or telephone number provided for this purpose on the Court's website. The motion or application and any affidavit or affirmation required by E.D.N.Y. Local Bankruptcy Rule 9077-1 should be docketed before a hearing is requested. A party requesting a hearing on an emergency motion or application for order to show cause should be prepared to serve the motion or application together with the scheduling order or order to show cause on the day that it is entered. Injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, will not ordinarily be granted without the party against whom relief is sought being given an opportunity to respond.

          c.     Conferences

A conference may be requested by filing a letter on the docket and emailing a copy of the letter to the Courtroom Deputy Clerk for the Judge before whom the matter is pending at the email address provided for this purpose on the Court's website. A letter, no longer than two pages, explaining the reason for the conference and stating whether a videoconference or in-person conference is requested, should be docketed and served on all (adverse/interested) parties before the request is made.

No Chamber’s copies are required unless requested by the Court.

Requests by attorneys, represented parties, and pro se parties may be made by contacting the Courtroom Deputy at: HZC_Hearings@nyeb.uscourts.gov at least two (2) business days in advance of the scheduled hearing. The Courtroom Deputy will respond by email, providing available dates and times and any other instructions.

Requests for adjournments on consent are encouraged. Adjournments with the consent of all interested parties may be requested by contacting Chambers at the email address and/or telephone number provided for this purpose on the Court's website at least two (2) business days prior to the scheduled hearing date. If the requested adjournment is granted, a follow-up letter, confirming the consent of all (adverse/interested) parties to the adjournment that lists all matters to be adjourned, must be received by Chambers and filed electronically on the docket at least one (1) business day prior to the hearing. Unless the follow-up letter is received by Chambers and filed on the docket by that time, the scheduled matter will remain on the calendar.

When a motion has been settled or withdrawn, the movant should inform the Courtroom Deputy Clerk by email and file a confirming letter on the docket at least one (1) business day prior to the scheduled hearing. Upon receipt of the email, the Court will determine whether the parties are excused from appearing at the hearing.

When a calendar matter is uncontested, a party may request that the matter be heard at the beginning of the calendar by speaking with the courtroom deputy before the call of the calendar.

Parties should bring a sufficient number of copies of any exhibit to a trial or evidentiary hearing so that copies may be provided to each counsel and any witnesses. In addition, three copies should be provided for the Court. Parties are directed to follow E.D.N.Y. Local Bankruptcy Rule 9070-1. with respect to the retention and removal of exhibits.

Judge Cooper will entertain motions by notice of presentment to the extent permitted by the Bankruptcy Code and the Bankruptcy Rules, and in accordance with E.D.N.Y. Local Bankruptcy Rule 2002-1 with the exception of (1) motions for stay relief; (2) motions to approve loan modifications; and (3) motions to avoid liens. If no order has been signed prior to the hearing date, the hearing shall proceed.

Parties with passwords to the CM/ECF system should upload proposed orders in accordance with the procedures governing electronic submission of proposed orders, available on the Court's website on the Submission of Proposed Orders (E-Orders) page. Proposed orders must be uploaded as a ".pdf" document and a Microsoft Word document.

Parties without passwords to the CM/ECF system should email proposed orders to the Hearings email address for the Judge to whom the order is being submitted which is provided for that purpose on the Court's website.

Motions for relief from stay to foreclose a mortgage on real property or a security interest in a cooperative apartment should be made in accordance with the Court's General Order No. 533.

The procedures for payment and cure of pre-petition judgment of possession involving residential real property pursuant to Bankruptcy Code § 362(i) are set forth in Administrative Order No. 541.

Applications for the entry of a Bar Date Order should be made in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Administrative Order No. 684, Amendments to Bar Date Order Guidelines. For cases assigned to Judge Cooper, 55 days’ notice of the bar date is required.

Requests for monthly compensation may be made in accordance with Administrative Order No. 538, Order Establishing Procedures for Monthly Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses of Professionals. Whether a request for monthly compensation will be granted will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Motions in Chapter 11 cases where the debtor in possession or Trustee seeks authority to use cash collateral pursuant to Bankruptcy Code § 363(c), or seeks to obtain credit pursuant to Bankruptcy Code § 364, should be made in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Administrative Order No. 558.

Motions for the sale of assets under Bankruptcy Code § 363(b) should be made in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Administrative Order No. 557.

First day motions in Chapter 11 cases should be made in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Administrative Order No. 565.

Loss Mitigation Program Procedures are set forth in General Order No. 676.

Fees and Disbursements for Professionals should be made in accordance with the guidelines set forth in General Order No. 613.